


Not Alone

by owlmoose



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Makeouts, Minor canon divergence, reference to canon character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-11 03:35:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2052096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy and Steve after Bucky's death. Mildly AU for the events of The First Avenger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Alone

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because I needed some shameless makeout fic in my life, canon be damned. Somewhat fluffy, by my standards anyway.

"You won't be alone."

Peggy hesitated, a pause of only a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever. Then she extended her hand across the table and set it on Steve's. Lightly she set it there, no pressure, no expectations, only the promise of human contact, that he was not, and would never, unless he wished it, be alone.

His gaze stayed focused in his lap, but he curled his fingers, just enough to press the back of his hand into her palm. Then he nodded, once. "Thank you," he said, softly.

"Of course." She gave his hand a quick squeeze, and then got to her feet. Despite what she had said, it seemed obvious that Steve had come here to be by himself; she should respect his privacy. But before she could move further, Steve turned his hand over and lightly wrapped his fingers around her wrist, holding her there. His hand was warm, the grip light, but she could feel the strength behind it. She turned, and he was looking up at her, red-rimmed eyes still drying.

"Stay with me?" He lowered his gaze but tightened his grasp. "Just-- for a little while. I know there's a lot to do. But I-- I need another minute. And I don't want to be alone."

She slid her hand backwards, pressing her palm against his and rotating her grip to lace their fingers together. His breath caught, and she smiled, tightening her fingers. "Whatever you need. I'm here for you." 

"I know." His head snapped up, eyes going wide, the mask of misery swiftly replaced by embarrassment. "I mean-- I didn't mean-- oh God--"

She shook her head. "It's fine." Tipping her head to the side, she stroked the back of his index finger with the pad of her thumb. "I know you don't mean it that way."

He lowered his eyes again. "I hope so. You know how stupid I am about women. But I hope you also know..." She could see him swallow, his throat bobbing, his grip tighter, and a light blush began high up on his cheeks. "You mean a lot to me, Peggy. I, I care about you. A lot."

Peggy bit her lip. She did know. She'd known for awhile. And she also knew-- but was she ready to admit to it? To face everything it meant? She looked at Steve, and thought about Barnes -- gone, in an instant, body lost and broken at the bottom of a gorge. What if she lost Steve without ever saying it, not even to herself?

So she took a deep breath and tugged on his hand, pulling him to his feet. "I-- care about you, too." She could feel the warmth coming off his chest, smell the stale beer on his breath. Lifting her other hand to his arm, she rested it against the rough nap of his sleeve. "Enough that I don't want to take advantage of you."

The corner of his mouth twitched, the first signs of a smile he'd shown since dawn. "You always have me at a disadvantage," he murmured. "Especially since I still don't know how to dance."

She slid her hand up his arm, over his shoulder, and curled it around his neck. "It goes something like this," she said, and then she pulled him downward, pressing her mouth to his in a soft, brief kiss. 

Then she pulled away, and he was looking at her, eyes wide in stunned wonder, lips slightly parted. "Peggy--"

Coming up on tiptoe, she stopped whatever he would have said by kissing him again, a little firmer this time, slower, lingering. This time he kissed her back, lips moving against hers, bringing an arm around her waist, his hand splayed over her lower back. When they broke, he leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed, and she could feel his breath coming fast. "Peggy," he said again, speaking her name as though it were the key to all the secrets of the universe. "Oh, Peggy."

"Shh." She stepped into his arms, pressing herself against his chest, and gently pushed his head down into the crook of her neck. He clung to her, so strong, so warm, every inch of his skin radiating heat. That fast metabolism again. "Everything will be all right." 

"No it won't." He let out a sharp sigh, his breath hot against her skin. "Bucky's gone, and taking out all of Hydra won't bring him back. And I might... but I can't... please tell me I won't lose you too."

Peggy closed her eyes and gripped the back of his head, weaving her fingers through his short hair and pressing her temple to his cheek. "I can't promise that. No more than you can. But we'll see it through together. That, I can promise."

His hand tightened against her back. "Until the end--" He stopped, the last word choked off by a sob, his chest heaving. She cradled him closer, let him shake and shudder in his arms, and if her shoulder was getting a little damp, she didn't mind. 

"Sorry," he said, a minute later. "Guess I wasn't as ready for company as I thought."

"Don't apologize." Peggy leaned back to look at him, dared to brush a finger over his cheek. "I said whatever you need, and I meant it."

"Good." He lifted a hand to her face and let it rest there, just looking at her. Then he lowered his face to hers and kissed her, a tentative brush against her lips. She tightened her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer, swaying with him to the distant strains of music only they could hear.


End file.
